OVHS Stings Lady Bluejackets

by Travis Curry
SEW Editor

OVHS Stings Lady Bluejackets

For 67 Points In Home-Opener

by Travis Curry

SEW Editor

After a turnover plagued opening half that found the Lady Patriots in front by just eight at the break, Owen Valley throttled up the tempo and cut down on its turnovers through quarters three and four to outscore visiting Mitchell, 35-10, and handily win the school’s season-opener, 67-34.

Owen Valley's Alissa Heaslet (right) battles for possession of a loose ball with a pair of Mitchell Lady Bluejackets in the second half of Wednesday night's home-opening win in Patriot Hall. (Staff Photo by Travis Curry)

“We’re trying to preach to our kids to slow down and look the defense over,” OV coach Steve Goddard said. “I think that will come with more experience. Some of these girls have different roles and more responsibility than they’ve had in the past, and for us that has resulted early on in more turnovers than we’d like.”

The Lady Patriots jumped out to a 24-6 lead early in the second, but allowed the coach Frank Decker’s Lady Bluejackets to get back into the game and trail by just eight, 32-24, at the break.

“We’re still mixing in a lot of different lineups, and the girls are still getting a feel for how to play alongside one another,” Goddard said. “I still think it’s going to take seven or eight games before we’ll really begin to have any stability.”

The Lady Patriots’ pass selection was also questioned at the half by the OV coaching staff.

Savannah Owens, a 5'2" junior guard for the Lady Patriots, pulls down a rebound over the outstretched arm of Mitchell's 5'6" junior forward Alayna Super late in the first half of OV's home-opener Wednesday. (Staff Photo)

“As soon as we saw a white shirt we threw it to her regardless of whether the girl was open or not” Goddard said. “We had a reality check at the half, and I was really proud of them for how they responded in the second half, our passing and defense were both outstanding.”

Sam Cooper led a trio of Lady Patriots reaching double digit scoring with 19 points, followed by Kaitlin Sweatman and Caitlin Leichter who netted 10 in just her first game back from a knee injury suffered in the team’s preseason scrimmage at Edgewood.

“She’s still only about 80 percent, but she’s a real asset to the team,” Goddard said. She does a solid job on defense, and as she continues to get stronger she’ll be able to guard someone a couple of inches bigger than her down in the post.”

Goddard also touched on the play of Cooper, the team’s senior floor leader who dropped 19 on the visiting Lady Bluejackets four days after being selected as the Most Valuable Player of the 2009 HI-99/Terre Haute Savings Bank in West Terre Haute.

“She’s just played extremely well in every game this season,” Goddard said. “She’s learning to take on more responsibility as far as being a point guard and a leader.”

OV (3-1) will be back in action Monday, November 23, when the team travels to Cascade for a junior varsity/varsity doubleheader with the 1-2 Lady Cadets. JV action gets underway at 6:00 p.m., with the varsity game to follow at 7:30 p.m.